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French Entrepreneurship During the Restoration: The Record of a Single Firm, the Anzin Mining Company*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2011

Richard J. Barker
Richard J. Barker
Affiliation:
Montclair State College
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Extract

In this paper, which examines the business operations of the Anzin Mining Company during the Restoration, the record of a single firm has been used to assess recent interpretations of the nature of French entrepreneurship in the nineteenth century. These interpretations portray French industry in its formative period developing around “small units, small volume, and small horizons.” “Cautious management, obsolescent plants, and high profits” have been cited as main features which came to characterize the business operations of even the largest firms. It has been pointed out also that maximization of profits was not a fundamental aim of the French entrepreneur, nor did he indulge in the competitive business practices common to American industrial development. In France, security and continuity of the firm were as important to the entrepreneur as profits, and the acquired rights of the small or marginal firm were respected and preserved. The family character of most French enterprises has been emphasized in explanation of these phenomena. Close identification of family name and family honor widi business holdings prescribed a minimizing of risks in the family firm, as well as consideration for the welfare of other family enterprises. Finally, in order to allow these conditions to endure, French entrepreneurs favored a high protective tariff.

Type
Articles
Information
The Journal of Economic History , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , June 1961 , pp. 161 - 178
Copyright
Copyright © The Economic History Association 1961

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References

1 Sawyer, John E., “The Entrepreneur and the Social Order: France and the United States,” in Miller, William (ed.), Men in Business (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1952), p. 14.Google Scholar

2 Landes, David S., “French Entrepreneurship and Industrial Growth in the Nineteenth Century,” Journal of Economic History, IX (May 1949), 49.Google Scholar

3 Ibid., pp. 48–50; Sawyer, “The Entrepreneur and the Social Order,” p. 17. See also Landes, David S., “French Business and the Businessman: A Social and Cultural Analysis,” in Earle, Edward M. (ed.), Modern France (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1951), pp. 348–49Google Scholar; Cole, A. H., “An Approach to the Study of Entrepreneurship,” Journal of Economic History, VI (Supplement 1946), 8–9.Google Scholar

4 Landes, “French Entrepreneurship,” pp. 52–54.

5 National Archives, 49 AQ 1–5 (microfilm), “Copie des déliberations de la Régie de la Compagnie des Mines d'Anzin, 1757–1920.”

6 See “Renseignements sur la compagnie propriétaire des mines d'Anzin, Raismes, Fresnes, Vieux-Condé, Denain, Abscon, et sur les droits et péages exorbitants et injustes perçus sur les houilles ou charbon de terre de la Belgique….” MS. (1833), 19 pp., in National Archives, F12 2534A. Henceforth cited as “Renseignements sur les mines d'Anzin.”

7 See J. Berard, “Produit des mines de houille du Royaume pour l'exercise 1831,” MS. (March 21, 1832), in National Archives, F12 2534A.

8 See Jacques Renard, Réponse de la Compagnie des mines de Charbon d'Anzin, Raismes, et Vieux-Condé aux pétitions de quelques fabricans des Départements du Nord, et de quelques associés dans les mines de la Belgique, qui demandent la réduction à II centimes du droit de 33 centimes perçu à I'entrée en France des charbons des Pays-Bos (Anzin, December 12, 1821), 36 pp., in National Archives, AD XIII 14. Henceforth cited as Renard Report.

9 See C. Migneron, “Réponse aux questions posées à l'occasion de l'enquête sur les houilles,” MS. (February 15, 1833), in National Archives, F12 2534A.

10 Casimir Périer, “Rapport fait à la Régie par Casimir Périer,” (Saint-Vaast, June 15, 1826), in National Archives, 49 AQ 1. Henceforth cited as Périer Report.

11 Périer Report; Renard Report.

12 Jennings, Marck, Réponse aux questions à faire résoudre par l'enquête sur les houilles (Paris, December 8, 1832Google Scholar), in National Archives, F12 2534A. Henceforth cited as Jennings Report.

13 Périer Report.

14 Jennings Report.

15 This average cost, for miners at the vein, remained rather constant from 1811 to 1833. The only notable change was made in 1824, when wages were increased by 20 centimes for workers in pits at Anzin. See National Archives, 49 AQ I (September 20, 1824; June 27, 1833).

16 Ibid. (March 6, 1817); DeGérando, Joseph, “Éloge de M. Scipion Périer,” Bulletin de la société d'encouragement pour l'industrie nationale (52 vols., Paris, 1802–1853), XXGoogle Scholar (1821), 125.

17 See Dupin, Charles, “Exposé fait à la Société d'encouragement sur les progrès dus nouvel enseignement de la géometrie et de la mécanique, appliquées aux arts et métiers, en faveur de la classe industrielle,” Bulletin de la société d'encouragement pour l'industrie nationale, XXIV (1825), 374–80.Google Scholar

18 Nationl Archives, 49 AQ I (June 27, 1833).

19 See “Relevé’ général des contributions directes de 1831, payées par la Compagnie propriétaire des mines d'Anzin….” (November 7, 1832), in National Archives, C 1252, dossier Joseph Périer.

20 Périer Report. See also Reybaud, Louis, Le fer et la houille (Paris: Michel Levy fréres, 1874), p. 176.Google Scholar

21 See Saint-Léger, A. de, Les mines d'Anzin et d'Aniche pendant la Révolution (4 vols.; Paris: Lib. Ernest Leroux, 1939), IGoogle Scholar, part I, xliv.

22 Vuillemin, Emile, Le bassin houiller du Pas-de-Calais (3 vols.; Lille: Danel, 1880–1884), IIGoogle Scholar, 343.

23 For contemporary estimates, see “Renseignements sur les mines d'Anzin”; Martinière, A. Pichault de la, Mémoire sur la nécessité de modifier la législation des douanes en général, et, en particulier, les lois sur les houilles (Paris, c. 1833), p. 21Google Scholar, in National Archives, F12 2534B.

24 National Archives, 49 AQ I (October 16, 1829).

25 See Saint-Léger, Les mines d'Anzin, I, part I.

26 Prince Ernest d'Arenberg, owner of rich forest lands near Raismes, became a director in September 1821, following Désandrouin's death. Count Hocquart replaced Augustin Sabatier (d. 1813) in September 1817.

27 Saint-Léger, Les mines d'Anzin, I, part I, 45–46, 51–52. See Vermale, Francois, Le père de Casimir Périer, 1743–1801 (Grenoble: B. Arthaud, 1935Google Scholar).

28 See Archives of the Municipal Library of Grenoble, R 90564, “Liquidation de la succession de M. Claude Périer”; National Archives, 49 AQ I (May 20, 1834); Saint-Léger, Lcs mines d'Anzin, I, part I, 89.

29 National Archives, 49 AQ 1 (May 3, 1821).

30 Ibid. (July 15, 1832).

31 The bank was founded in April-May, 1801, by Casimir and Scipion Périer, Henry Flory, and William Sabatier. Flory and Sabatier remained with the bank until 1807. Joseph Périer became a partner in 1822. The bank had three accounts with the Anzin company: one for expenditures; a special account for the Dames de Fontenelles, who were shareholders; and an account for the company's reserve fund. See Notarial Archives (Minutier Centrale, Paris), Étude Bezier, LXVIII (845), Notoriété concernant Périer fréres, 20 octobre 1825; National Archives, 49 AQ I (June 21, 1827).

32 Notarial Archives, Éetude Prud'homme, CVIII, Répertoire 24, Déspôt de vente, par Jacques-Constantin Périer à Scipion Périer, de l'établissement de Chaillot, 30 novembre 1822; DeGérando, “Éloge de M. Scipion Périer,” p. 120. (Neither Jacques-Constantin Périer, 1742–1818, nor his brother, Auguste-Charles Périer, were related in any way to the Périer family discussed in this paper.)

33 Chaptal, Jean-Antoine, Observations sur les commerce des houilles ou charbons de terre Belge en France, sur la cherté de ce combustible, et sur les moyens d'en faire diminuer le prix (Paris, 1817), 79Google Scholar pp., in National Archives, F12 2474A.

34 National Archives, F12 195, Procès-verbaux du Conseil des Fabriques et Manufactures, January 29, 1818.

35 Ibid. (January 29, 1818; February 21, 1818).

36 Ibid. (February 9 and 19, 1818).

37 See Périer, Joseph, Rapport à la Chambre de Commerce de Paris sur la navigation intérieure et sur l'approvisionnement de la capitale en charbon de terre (Paris, April 1826Google Scholar).

38 National Archives, F12 195 (February 9, 1818).

39 National Archives, 49 AQ I (September 9, 1819; March 9, 1820). See also Gille, Bertrand, Recherches sur la formation de la grande entreprise capitaliste (1815–1848) (Paris; S.E.V.P.E.N., 1959), pp. 62–64.Google Scholar

40 National Archives, F12 195 (February 26, 1818).

41 See, for example, Archives parlementaires de 1800 à 1860. Recueil complet des débats législatifs et politiques des chambres françaises (2nd Series, Paris, 1862), XXVII, 438–39.Google Scholar

42 Ibid., XXVII, 440.

43 Ministére du Commerce et des Travaux Publics. Conseil Supérieur de Commerce, Enquête sur les houilles, 1832 (Paris, 1833), pp. 23–24.Google Scholar

44 National Archives, F12 193 (5), Procès-verbaux du Bureau du Commerce et des Colonies, May 19, 1824.

45 National Archives, 49 AQ I (March 8, 1816).

46 Périer Report.

47 National Archives, 49 AQ I (March 6, 1817).

48 See Gille, Recherches sur la formation de la grande entreprise, pp. 23–33; Sauvigny, G. Bertier de, La Restauration (Paris: Flammarion, 1955), pp. 269–316.Google Scholar

49 Périer Report; Renard Report.

50 Renard Report.

51 Périer Report.

52 National Archives, 49 AQ I (May 4, 1822).

53 Ibid. (September 28, 1822).

54 Ibid. (March 13,1823).

55 Ibid. (September 25, 1823).

56 Ibid. (September 20, 1824).

57 Périer Report.

58 National Archives, 49 AQ I (May 4, 1822; June 21, 1827). For other references to Edwards, see Bulletin de la société d'encouragement pour l'industrie nationale, XIV (1815), 297Google Scholar; XVI (1817), 267–30; XVII (1818), 169–74, 365–86.

59 Périer Report.

60 Périer Report.

61 National Archives, 49 AQ I (May 20, 1824).

62 Ibid. (April II,1825).

63 Ibid. (May 4, 1822).

64 Ibid. (September 7, 1820).

65 See l'lntérieur, Ministère de, Situation au 31 mars 1830 des canaux et autres ouvrages entrepris en vertue des lois des 20 juin et 5 août 1821… (Paris, 1830).Google Scholar

66 National Archives, 49 AQ I (November 13, 1823).

67 Ibid. (June 21, 1827; May 20, 1834).

68 Ibid. (September 28, 1822).

69 Ibid. (September 28, 1822 et seq.).

70 Ibid. (May 4, 1822; September 16, 1825).

71 Ibid. (September 10, 1827).

72 Ibid. (September 20, 1824).

73 Ibid. (October 28, 1828).

74 Ordinances of October 10 and December 28, 1835; law of July 2, 1836.

75 Regarding this affair, see the interesting anonymous memoir in National Archives, F12 2534A, dossier “Houilles, Lille,” s.d. (1833?).